Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/20/12

We witness another week of fantastic blogs courtesy of
the user community. It's also worth noting with Game Informer's effort to continually
provide quality content and an entertaining experience, a number of new moderators
have been appointed, including a few that will focus on eliminating the spam
posts that sometimes plague the blog portal.

The
Often-Overlooked Aspects Of Sports GamesIt's not very often we see a
sports-related blog around these parts, but Hist does a great job updating the
highlight reel with a discussion on what could make them better and perhaps
more popular.

Top
10 MastermindsIt's been nearly two weeks
since we've heard from thegodofwine7, but he's back and sporting a new top ten
list, this time focusing on the top video game masterminds.

Evolutionary
vs. Revolutionary Game DesignCameron Koch responds to comments
made by the narrative director of Halo 4 regarding design philosophy and how
"really good game design is evolutionary, not revolutionary."

Ten
Reasons Why GamersGate Is Better Than SteamAlthough Valve's Steam
application is quite popular and robust at what it does, MrVolker777 supports a
similar product known as GamersGate that, in his opinion, is a little better than
Steam.

174:47What's the most hours you have
logged into a single game, and what was the game? For cerpintaxman, it was 170+
hours on Xenoblade, as explained in this blog that chronicles his experiences.

Unconventional
WarfareJohn Wrek defines his principles
of unconventional warfare and then compiles a list of his favorite video games
demonstrating unusual combat scenarios and techniques.

The
Difficulty Of Comedy In Video GamesAn interesting piece from David
Chandler talking about the challenges of incorporating humor into video games
and how Portal is perhaps one of the best and most successful examples at
including comedy.

Best
Minecraft Creations That I've SeenIf you enjoy blogs with less
words and more pictures, this compilation from Mike showcasing original and
impressive content created in the world of Minecraft is a must see.

Are
We Gamers?Jack Gardner contemplates what it means to be a gamer and how the term
has evolved over the years to present day and how it is now firmly embedded in
mainstream society.

Borderlands:
A Love StoryA heartfelt testimony from
quasiconundrum revealing a few private details about the personal relationship he
has with his wife (and fellow gamer), and how Borderlands contributed to this
bond.

Sympathy
For SonySony has had its share of ups
and downs, but the slump they're in now is at least a little concerning. Marco
Polo expresses his sympathy over their struggles and recognizes the things
they've done right.

Quality
Versus QuantityHannibal dissects the topic of
video game length and how the duration varies depending on whether it is a
smaller game like a downloadable title or a traditional retail game that is
normally full length.

Why
Do MMOs Need Such A High Level Cap?A self proclaimed fan of MMOs,
opposedcrow88 muses about the extensive leveling and time requirements
associated with Guild Wars 2 and how it differs from its predecessor.

Things
That I Like That Aren't In GamesIn this solemn narrative from
debtcollector, he pitches the idea of an open-ended video game that allows
players the freedom to explore their surroundings without being encumbered by
missions or leveling.

Community Reviews:

Autobots,
Roll Out!Craigaleg constructs another of
his notable video reviews, this time for Activision's Transformers: Fall of
Cybertron, a game he says contains more than meets the eye.

Runs
Out Of SteamDespite mediocre review scores
and claims of being underrated, InFamous has quite a few fans and SolidBrix assesses
what they can look forward to in the sequel if they haven't played it yet.

The
4th Floor Season 2 Episode 9TOGNick is the lone man behind
the mic in this episode that continues discussing a couple volatile blogs he
posted earlier in the week as well as music, sports, and the upcoming Extra-Life
charity event.

Robot
In The Corner Podcast: Episode 2-36This is the final episode of
season 2 and the whole crew is reunited again as Titus gives an update on Pneumadiluvians, Dean shares his
impressions of Dust: An Elysian Tail, and Wes tackles Madden 13.

Don't forget to send your feedback, recommendations, and
community events in to my personal Game Informer account located here to
ensure this feature continues to provide the content you're eager to read.